Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards

Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth. As I understand it, for some reason the small intestine is over-run with crazed bacteria. This produces symptoms similar to those identified as IBS.

I haven't been following this carefully, but apparently there was a recent study - or studies - that indicate some people who have been diagnosed with IBS have SIBO. As I understand it, this idea has been around for a while, but the original study that indicated this was pretty flawed. Supposedly, the recent studies seem to make it more likely that SIBO is an explanation in some cases.

It also looks like a lot of people are jumping on that bandwagon and now claiming ALL IBS is really SIBO. I don't buy it, because I can't figure out how following Heather's diet could have helped my IBS so dramatically if what I really had was bacteria gone wild. There's been some chatter about this on the Diet Board within the last 3 months - ShawnEric has references in his posts, I think. And there's some info about it on the Research Library Board.

After reading "The Second Brain", I go along with the idea that IBS is actually a name for a number of separate conditions that are not yet understood. As researchers identify those illnesses, they'll get peeled away from the IBS bundle, like Crohn's and colitis apparently did (if I remember correctly). SIBO may turn out to be one of those illnesses. Given what BadlyDrawnBoy said about his experience with the treatment, though, I'd approach the whole idea pretty cautiously.

HTH.

--------------------
[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]

Print Remind Me Notify Moderator